As Jon Krakauer's book became successful, and Chris McCandless' story got out there, the notoriety of the wanderer's final months started living a life of its own. Per Treehugger, many people were so moved by the story that they actually started hiking to the site of Bus 142, and over the years, the deteriorating vehicle saw more and more foot traffic from devoted McCandless fans. Things got so bad that the people in the area started calling these travelers "McCandless pilgrims," and their numbers could exceed 100 per year.
The problem, of course, is that the trail between the bus and civilization hasn't gotten any less dangerous after McCandless' death. The Teklanika River can still be incredibly difficult to cross, and, as the BBC notes, the authorities have had to rescue many pilgrims. Two people even died trying to reach the site. In 2020, the state of Alaska finally decide that enough was enough. The bus was clearly important to many people, but since it was attracting people to dangerous situations, it was clear that something had to change.
The solution was an impressive one: The bus was airlifted from its precarious position in the wilderness and transported to a less perilous location. According to Backpacker, Bus 142 is set to receive a new home as the centerpiece of an exhibition at the University of Alaska's Museum of the North, in Fairbanks.
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